Savor this Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Maple Pecan Brittle

Silky, aromatic and perfectly sweetened, this pumpkin cheesecake is a celebration of fall coziness. I’m not a fan of canned puree – it lacks depth and flavor – so I prefer baking some butternut or Kent squash. Baking coaxes out its natural sweetness removing extra liquid, yielding a deep, aromatic mash imparting genuine complexity. Golden nut brittle completes the dessert: toasty, flavorful and with just the right amount of crunch against the velvety texture.

Autumn Cheesecake and Crunchy Pecan Topping

For the pumpkin base, cut 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin in sections, cook, loosely covered, at 390F cooked through but not colored. Puree until smooth.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Cool 60 minutes
Chill at least 6 hours
Serves 8-10

Base Ingredients

• gingersnap cookies
• melted butter, liquefied, and some for coating
• sea salt

Creamy Layer

• 500g cream cheese
• fine sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 200g pumpkin puree (prepared earlier)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• cinnamon spice
• warm ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp ground cloves
• room-temperature eggs, warmed slightly
• 100ml soured cream
• pure vanilla

Crunchy Finish

• pure maple syrup
• sugar
• nut pieces, in chunks
• sea salt flakes
• 150ml double cream

Set the oven at a moderate heat and lightly grease the entire interior of a 20cm round springform tin. In a food processor the cookies until crumbly, place in a container. Incorporate the butter and salt, and mix until moistened. Place in the prepared pan, even it out, heat until set, set aside to cool.

Lower the setting to a lower temp. Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer, then beat on low speed slowly to a creamy texture. Add the spiced pumpkin mix, blend gently until incorporated. Mix in eggs individually, beating in well between each addition, next include the cream and extract, and beat until combined.

Transfer the pumpkin filling onto the cooled biscuit base even the surface with a small spatula. Give it a gentle shake on a worktop to dispel any air bubbles, then cook the dessert in the middle of the oven for about three-quarters of an hour until the sides are firm and the centre is slightly wobbly. Switch off the heat, keep the oven slightly open and let it cool down for 60 minutes. After cooling, chill for at least six hours (and up to three days), until completely set.

While waiting, prepare the brittle (up to three days ahead). Preheat the oven to 210C (190C fan) cover a tray using liner. Mix the maple syrup and sugar in a small saucepan and heat slowly gently until dissolved. Stir in the chopped pecans, take off the stove and scrape into the lined tray. Heat until golden, until golden and bubbly, set aside. When fully hardened, chop into irregular pieces place in a container chilled.

Open the dessert from the springform and transfer to a platter. Beat the cream to a light consistency, then add into the middle of the cheesecake leaving a 3-4cm border. Scatter most of the pecan brittle over the top, with additional brittle for serving.